NewsLink, May 22, 2020
Please submit items for the weekly NewsLink to Dana Benson.

Archive / BCM Family / BCM News on Twitter

Special News

Graduating in a pandemic

A Virtual Commencement Ceremony was held Thursday evening, May 21, for graduating students, including 193 students in the School of Medicine, 101 in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and eight in the inaugural class of the Genetics Counseling Program. Earlier in the day, two students, Ray Wang and Jarrod Odom, were commissioned via Zoom in to the military, where they will complete their residencies and their military service (another student in the military, Howard Ward, could not participate). A photo of the military ceremony is shown above, and look for a Commencement recap, photos and more on our news page.

Coronavirus Information

Main Baylor access

The main campus (Cullen and surrounding buildings) is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The symptom screening desks are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. All employees must check in at a screening station before 5 p.m. to gain access. On Memorial Day and on all weekends, the main campus is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. only to those who have prior permission from their mission leader to access the buildings. Those without prior permission cannot enter. Access is available through the Cullen main entrance and Garage 6 on weekdays, and the Cullen entrance only on weekends at this time.

HRSA funding supports COVID efforts

Baylor's Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity has received $150,000 from the Health Research & Services Administration through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support efforts to train students and clinicians on providing telehealth-enabled COVID-19 screening and testing, case management and outpatient care. It also will support programs to maintain primary care away from physical sites, especially for COVID-19 positive, quarantined, elderly and special populations. The Office of Diversity is led by Associate Provost Dr. Toi Harris.

COVID trial open for healthcare workers

Healthcare workers who treat COVID-19 patients are needed for a clinical trial to determine if an existing TB vaccine may be effective in treating COVID-19. The BCG vaccine prevents tuberculosis and is one of the oldest vaccines still in clinical use. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and four other institutions around the country are working to find out if it also can work against COVID-19; see the news release to learn more.. If interested, email Andrew DiNardo or Sharon Harrison.

Ask Me About My Research

Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge for everyone, but it can be particularly hard for children. In a special edition of the Ask Me About My Research series, Dr. Jill Weatherhead, assistant professor of infectious diseases and tropical medicine, answers questions about COVID-19 submitted by elementary and middle school students.

Awards and Recognitions

Faculty Awards Day!

One hundred sixty-six faculty members were honored this week as part of the annual Faculty Awards Day that recognizes excellence in clinical care, education and service. These include the recipients of the Barbara and Corbin J. Robertson, Jr. Presidential Award Excellence in Education, Dr. Gad Shaulsky and Dr. Lynn Zechiedrich, and the recipient of the Ben and Margaret Love Foundation Bobby Alford Award for Academic Clinical Professionalism, Dr. Fareed Khan. See the full list of recipients and watch a Faculty Awards Day video.

Lupo named to NIH study section

Dr. Philip Lupo, associate professor of pediatrics – hematology/oncology, has been selected to serve on the Genetics of Health and Disease Study Section, part of the NIH Center for Scientific Review, for a three-year period beginning July 1. In this role, Lupo will contribute to the national biomedical research effort by reviewing and making recommendations on grant applications submitted to the NIH and surveying the status of research in this field.

Events

May 27: Health Policy Research Day

Baylor experts and others will highlight current research and discuss some of society's biggest challenges, including COVID-19, at the Health and Science Policy Virtual Research Day, May 27. Register to attend via Zoom.

June 9: Equity Research Summit

Baylor’s third annual Center of Excellence in Health Equity, Training and Research Summer Research Summit is set for June 9. This virtual conference is open to everyone who is committed to workforce diversity in the health and biomedical sciences and quality healthcare for underserved and under-represented populations in the United States. CME credit will be available. Register online to livestream the conference.

College News

PA preceptors needed

BCM's Physician Assistant Program seeks primary care providers to serve as preceptors for students during two-week rotations throughout the year. Preceptors in pediatrics, family medicine, outpatient internal medicine, psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology practices are needed. Learn more about what is involved on the BCM PA Program website.

BeWell news: Catch up on seminars

If you missed any previously recorded BCM BeWell presentations, visit the BeWell Educational Seminars and Presentations intranet page to watch MoneyTalks, DocTalks and other presentations that offer basic wellness topics. Don't forget to complete the associated surveys and quizzes to earn BCM BeWell points. Questions? Email wellness@bcm.edu.

Memorial Day holiday

Baylor College of Medicine will be closed on Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day. A healthy, safe and restorative Memorial Day to all. Remember to give thanks to all the men and women who have died while serving the country in the military.

Faculty in the News

Baylor experts continue to lead the way in keeping the public informed about COVID-19 through the media. Read the coverage in Faculty in the News, and follow BCMHouston_News on Twitter to keep up with our experts in the media. Interested in science news? Read the latest in From the Labs.

Follow BCM